DON'T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS
Genre
Horror
Language
VOA
Duration
87
Rating
About
LES NUITS DE LA 4e DIMENSION
presents
presents
DON’T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS (1984) by Edmund Purdom
New restoration by the American Genre Film Archive!
The holiday season is fast approaching, and we’re thrilled to revive our favorite tradition: bringing you an offbeat Christmas movie! Forget Ciné-Cadeau, there’s an eccentric little treasure waiting for you under the tree.
Inspector Harris is in for a very rough holiday season. As law-abiding citizens hit the streets for their last-minute Christmas shopping, a killer is on the loose in London. His targets? Anyone dressed as Santa Claus, especially those who’ve had one too many mugs of mulled wine. No place is safe from this bloodthirsty grinch, not even peep shows. But with the help of a survivor of a deadly office Christmas party, Harris believes he can finally catch the killer and save Christmas Eve.
Made during the golden age of the slasher, British horror flick DON’T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS owes an undeniable debt to John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN. It borrows its seasonal setting, opening sequence, and even its credits. Yet this is more than a mere copycat, standing out with its appallingly bad taste and particularly inventive kills. Following an investigation led by incompetent detectives, the plot is packed with twists worthy of the juiciest soap operas (just wait until you see the finale!). Some scenes reach extraordinary levels of surrealism, including one that ends up in a wax museum. You really can’t make this stuff up.
In his first and last feature as a director, actor Edmund Purdom (PIECES, ATOR, and countless Italian schlock flicks) plays Harris with the bare minimum of conviction. Alongside him, legendary Caroline Munro (MANIAC) pops up for one of the most laughable cameos imaginable. Taking the path of least resistance, DON’T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS is one naughty movie that deserves absolutely no presents. Equal parts hilarious and unsettling, it belongs on the midnight-mass lineup that is Fourth Dimension Nights!
Directed by
Edmund Purdom
Actors
Edmund Purdom, Alan Lake, Belinda Mayne, Gerry Sundquist, Mark Jones
Country
United Kingdom
Version
Original English Version
Release year
1984